"Q U O T E S " from some folks I respect.

"As a photography editor, I find myself tempted to put artists into slots. This person is a portraitist. That person works in black and white. This photographer shoots musicians. That photographer does documentary work. I simply can’t do this kind of thing with Karen Kuehn’s photography. She is able to drop in and photograph truck drivers, artists, kids, and CEOs with equal grace. She moves effortlessly from color to black and white, and when and why to use each. Most important, she comes back with images that have both surface richness and a real depth of emotion."

David Schonauer

Editor in Chief

American Photo

When I first saw Karen’s work many years ago, I was overwhelmed with the quality and the technical perfection of her beautiful images while surprised to hear that all were created with one camera and one lens.

Since then, Karen has maintained the quality in her work but started to produce images with a unique touch and style obviously created in the imaginative mind of the photographer long before they are recorded in the camera. As a result, every image has a new approach that is completely different from what has been created before so that every new image brings a new and unexpected surprise. More importantly, each image that Karen creates is the type of image that one desires to see over and over and that one remembers for a long time. This, I feel, is the characteristic of a great photograph that is likely to become in important part of the photographic history.

Ernst Wildi
Hassleblad



"We have been committed to photography that tells a story, often a
story that affects us all and has formed a collective and shared
memory of key events in our time. Karen has spent her life in this
great tradition, photographing people and places across the United
States. If Karen didn't capture it, one might miss this part of
America. Her chronicles bring together far-away characters and her
tenderness makes them all familiar."

Michelle and Sidney Monroe
Monroe Gallery SF NM



I hate being photographed. My face looks wooden in pictures, as if carved by a sculptor who studied art at a school he found on the back of a pack of matches and had got to about lesson 4. And, of course, nothing really prepares you for what your body looks like on film. It's not just the 10 pounds the lens supposedly adds under your skin-­it's the *way* it does it-- like an incompetent taxidermist had stuffed it in a hurry.

So, when Karen showed up to take my picture in August of 1992(?), I wasn't having any of it. I know every photographic trick in the book and I was determined not to fall for them. Just the facts, ma'am: I was prepared to offer up just the bare minimum.

Well, yes, that's just what I did: Within 30 minutes I was stripped down to my birthday suit and was swinging like a Playboy bunny on the tire swing. How did this woman do it?? She is funny, weirder than water and so damn good with a camera. She can charm a snake into a lawnmower, casting a spell over our hum-drum, quotidian lives ...From within that fantasy spell emerge her trademark evocative, vital and honest images.

Sally Mann
Photographer



MY FRIEND KAREN KUEHN
IT'S THE HUMANITARIAN IN HER THAT I APPRECIATE
IT'S HER DEDICATION TO GOOD, AND HER ONGOING QUEST FOR QUALITY THAT I LIKE.
BENEATH THE OUTER LAYER OF STYLE, IS A LUST FOR LIFE THAT I LOVE.
KK, A SEARCHING SOUL, SEEKING OUT WHAT IS RIGHT.
IN HER I KNOW THE AMERICAN VALUES THAT I ADMIRE.

DANIEL LANOIS
Musician/Producer



When Karen Kuehn comes roaring up on a cloud to take your picture be very afraid because she's no ordinary body snatcher she's a lover with a camera who'll make your dreams immortal and by the way, watch out for your petunia because she'll sniff it out and light it up nice and pretty and then you know it will be on the cover of some big glossy magazine and your mama will say why'd you have to go and show that dang girl everything?
Because she was irresistible mama you will say.

Karen Kuehn carries a camera to show the world what unconventional joy looks like.
Its true.

Donna Ferrato
Photographer



Karen Kuehn's work resounds with her wit, charm and humanity. She reminds
the viewer of how to see again as if through the eyes of a child, filled
with wonder and amazement. Her work is permeated with the joy and love of
life, therein lies her true gift.

Malcolm Burn
Music Producer



It was a great pleasure years ago to receive Matrix submission for
syndication: material well Among them I had always the joy to see the
portraits of Karen of famous people. The reason to me was that she succeeds,
in the magic triangle that connects the photographer, the subject in the
picture and the public that will see the picture , to convey a statement of
culture and knowledge about the subject and in the same time a deep
emotional curiosity to know more about him. This si done with her peculiar
aesthetic style very clean and straight concentrating on the people and
taking out of them their sensibility. Look at the difference between Tom
Hanks and Sting. Two very different people two different souls and the same
way of revealing two completely different personalities.

Grazia Neri/Italy



Karen Kuehn's portraits are dynamic because they are suffused with her radiant energy. She elicits responses from her subjects that are transformed into portraits of immediacy, strength and beauty through the quick-fire play of her imagination. She doesn't do this occasionally ­she does it all the time. She isn't just lucky. She is good. Very good. She finds that angle, that mood, that light ­that inner quality ­and makes it manifest. Each portrait is as unique as its subject and her vision­ there's no "look," no formula, but a commitment behind the lens to the person in front of it and the skill to merge the two."

Brigitte Carnochan
Artist/Photographer



"The look she got in New Orleans was if time had stood still, timeless, you could smell the swamp and feel the wetness in the air. Some of the best photos I've seen that capture the real vibe. It was like a great old record that you couldn't turn off, she has the eye."

Mark Howard
Music Producer



"Come One, Come All . . .
Karen Kuehn Colossal Foto Carnival
See the Lamp Girl and Pool Girl!
See Steve Martin smirk with a Pokka Dot hat!
See the shocking Spank me Baby!
See Cher like you've never seen her before!
Be shocked by Robert Downey Jr. with Cactus!
Be amazed by Estee Lauder and Son under glass!
Watch the Dancing Trees Dance!
And you'll never forget Godzilla in Paris!
No two Photos Alike.
Each one a surprise a& Original
LOOK AT YOUR OWN RISK!
"I WAS DAZZLED!"

DUANE MICHAL'S
Artist



"The best photographic portraits are not always taken, sometime they are simply given. Because of some unknown human chemistry one photographer is allowed to penetrate the surface of a personality while another image maker may simply come up with a picture that is clever but not terribly revealing. Judging by the broad variety of her portrait oeuvre, Karen Kuehn seems to have a distinct ability to connect with her subjects. Better than clever, Kuehn pictures are composed with fine aesthetic sensibilities. She is in full command of the space and light used and then somehow draws out the individual so the viewer connects not just with the photographer's personality and sensibilities, but more importantly, with the subject in front of the lens. She sees them in basic, simple ways, using each millimeter of space with great sense of balance and grace. Then, it appears she gets them to like the process and give her the picture she wants. I think it would be interesting to be photographed by Karen Kuehn. Nice, and probably fun."

William Albert Allard
Photographer



"Karen Kuehn is a wonderfully imaginative photographer fully in command
of her art and craft. She blends impeccable technique with strong
artistic vision and a ferocious energy that is utterly disarming and
frank, while also being charming. Her collaborations with subjects rest
on an ability to focus her vision while eliciting their full
cooperation. The results are magic moments."

Tom Kennedy
Director of Photography where ever he goes...NGS, the post, etc


"Karen Kuehn is one of the most innovative photographers of this
generation. Just when you think you know her style, she produces
photographs unlike what you had previously seen -- or expected. Some
photographers bring "a fresh view" to their subjects, but Karen brings
a fresh view every time -- fresh unto herself. As such, she combines
unusual creativity with an ability to interpret and to get amazing
cooperation from her subjects that produce unexpected -- and incisive
photographs."

Rich Clarkson
Legend in our own time, sage to many



"After teaching photography for 32 years at Cypress College in Southern California, I can tell you that it doesn't take long to spot the students with the drive and creative passion to learn photography. Karen Kuehn was one of those students. From the very beginning, she showed a flare for a bright, new and different approach to each of her assignments. Instructors would pass around her projects amongst themselves, commenting on her rather bold and unorthodox approach to another assignment...and they were always good! In a "studio practices" class that Karen was taking, I gave an assignment to photograph a bright, shiny metal object. Karen signed up for a four -hour block of time. Most students signed up for one or two hours. At one point on the appointed day, I stepped into the studio awash with white back ground paper everywhere. In the middle of the sea of white paper, Karen stood next to a gleaming chromed wheel from her father's vintage Ferrari. No one had ever done a car wheel before Karen came along. The wheel was elegant, and the resulting photograph blew everyone away. That's the Karen I know."

David F. Drake, Professor Emeritus



"Restaurants in Georgetown smelling up my office in Washington DC. That's how I remember Karen Kuehn. She was just getting started in photography and was showing me results of a project she was working on. Photos of chefs. They weren't ordinary and they stopped me in my tracks. Smell isn't the right word -- it was some kind of aroma that put right into the kitchens of those subjects. From that day on, I always looked forward to seeing her work."

Bruce Dale
Photographer

"Karen Kuehn is a good friend and colleague

She also creates visuals of everything she has ever thought and felt, everyone she has met and places she has been along the way. …down to the smallest detail. I think that all these pictures combine into a record her life and times that allow others to experience these slices of life in an intimate way…. filtered through her eyes. Karen is a great storyteller about people and their emotions. She is leaving us a unique and intimate record or her time and travels that we should all reference from time to time. She is energetic, enthusiastic, intense and infectious character that can talk most anyone out of their clothes and out into a field in about 15 minutes. This says a lot about her…but I think it also says something about the rest of us at the same time. You will never forget the experience and there will be a large print on your wall to remind you of what you got talked into that day."

Chip Simons
Photographer

"Karen’s works are masterpieces.

I know I have one on my wall."

Antonin Kratochvil

Photographer

"karen kuehn's work is not only intriguing but she is a technical wizard. I love the way she mixes different styles yet it always has a touch of her in it: just a little sense of fun. Karen's work has a sense of nostalgia that is in the present that is all her. Her black and white is so great and can get the same point across in color. Her lighting and angles are right on for what she is trying to say. Karen lights up a room when she enters and i know that clients trust her which allows the most creativity to flourish. I think Karen's work is so refreshing. There isn't enough happiness in photography these days, some of it tries too hard, Karen's work just is cool"

Josette Lata

JW Thompson NYC

" It has been my pleasure to work with Karen Kuehn

throughout the years on various important advertising projects.

I always felt confident that she would be able to achieve

exactly what we were after and have never been disappointed

with the final results.

Karen is a fine shooter and a unique human being"

Sonia Zobel

VP Senior Art Producer

McCann Erickson

"My inner voice was shouting “Give this girl a gig!” when I first met Karen Kuehn as Photo Editor of Travel & Leisure magazine circa 1981 - 82 . We were both pretty new at the publishing game. The editors had a tight knit stable of photographers they liked to use over and over . I finally convinced them to try Karen on an assignment and everyone was glad I did. What was unique about the relationship and the nature of the collaboration with Karen was the level of trust between us. I trusted Karen’s passionate commitment to her art and she trusted my ability to see it through to it’s most powerful end .We had an amazing run of assignments where I would not give Karen a specific directive or tell her what the editors were envisioning for the story. I honestly remember saying “ Karen I’d like you to go to this Island for a week or so, take what you need and shoot it the way you see it.” Inevitably Karen would come back and tell me “the way I see will require that I use a light leaking Holga with infra red black & white film using coyote urine as a stop bath.” I never questioned or regretted getting behind Karen’s ideas and visions , they were so clear and pure . I just felt an obligation to do what I could to support her efforts. The readers, editors, writers, advertisers and competition judges were always blown away by her work. I think the excitement came from the element of surprise because the work was truly original, had loads of content and connection . However , it was never ever what was expected."

Bill Black

Readers Digest Editor/Photography Director

Karen, she's got moxie. The result is these pictures, at times strange and superb; and at other times, so straightforward, direct and simple as to make my lips ache from too much smiling. But simple is hard and weird is wonderful and Karen is, well Karen and thank god for her amazing talent. It makes you feel.

Bob Sacha

Photographer

EXERCISE YOUR MIND

Happy Thanksgiving - December, my favorite album of all time by George Winston.
I use to listen to it all the time while I was a NPS Park Ranger in Glacier National Park.
It makes me weepy. I recommend this album to those who want to create visuals.
Play each song and write down the images that come to mind. Start with this one.
Get a piece of paper and play this....close your eyes and see what images appear and what feelings...write it down and than you can go make a photograph or painting or art about the real things that are stirring in your heart. With gratitude Thank you George Winston.

EYES WIDE OPEN

SCOTT MARKEY - A Week With Karen is Very Intense

"My week with Karen Kuehn was very intense, inspiring, creative and non-stop.
I never stopped making images.
Karen opened my eyes, heart, and soul to the possibilities of capturing memorable images.
I thank her so much for the experience, it was with out a doubt my most extraordinary photographic adventure due to karen's unique way of sharing as a
master photographer."

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Screen Door Salesman at Burning Man 2009

Is the customer always right?
Yes, having clients/customers to serve is a priveledge and I was raised old school. My mom and dad always took care of the folks that came into their business. Their attitude was one worth rendering as my life and career grows. I like that I have clients that do return business with my company, with me. I work and huge range of projects; editorial is loose and usually left to my devices to solve problems on the spot. To be conceptual and tell stories is a gift and a better gift to be assigned based on the fact that the editors love the way you think. Its an honor really! Advertising clients tend to have an idea pre-shoot and you have to deliver exactly what they want and why not, they usually pay more. I like to compare dinner to photography assignments.
When I go out and order a fish dish I don't want liver! Assignments are the same to me and I really try to think about my team, the client at large and bring exactly if not more to the table.

Developing relationships with art directors takes time. It doesn't always get cemented in the first project. You have to court them and care for them with kit gloves. Pamper your clients.
Its really important that they not only go back to their world with the images but with a great experience and sometimes a very memorable one. So many photographers, so many people just have a camera and proclaim they are a photographer! And guess what regardless of the quality lots of folks are getting jobs with little lighting or tech experience. Doesn't really matter anymore as long as the end result looks cool. For those of us who are craftsmen and women it puts a bug up our bums. We need to remind our client base that we see differently and that we are an asset to any job assigned.

Refreshing clients memories of your talent is really important. I have a rep and we need to send out promos all the time. Its really a job unto yet many dedicated days of research and making lists and updating and than posting. I am always busy making my next contact to get my next project going and sending out notes and a small smattering of promos to my regular clients.
Its part of the deal. Kicking back was never the way to be successful in the field of photography.

Contracts, estimates can lay out exactly some of the details that can pave the way to a clear and concise shoot. Especially with advertising jobs and even hook ups with friends. Writing it all down backs up anything that could be what I call loose. I recently had a shoot with an old friend and the art director came in after the shoot was done....two months later and says. I want it a different way! Well who do you think they wanted to do it for free? Should I do it ? One has to consider the relationship at hand. My client and friend of 20 years didn't like the idea of shooting and paying again! It was a gently realization that the photographer wasn't at fault here and he did come back to me and book another day. A flat rate was determined and I never charged him much in the beginning but I made certain to shoot a few images and email them to the art director in another state so she could approve going forward without me spending my clients money on a full days shoot. I tried to take care of this client the best way I could by being professional and taking him through each of the steps in a gentle way so he had his assets covered from the team he was working with out of State. They were not paying for the additional shooting. He was and if they didn't like this shoot he'd be in a pickle. So think about each job as if it were you investing your money into branding and TLC your client. I paid for lunch that day as he's a good guy and doesn't fully understand the workings of photography. Its always an education for most. http://www.Blinkbid.com has some cool forms.

Thanking your customers is key. Treating them the way you want to be treated. If they support your year...remember them at the holidays, write notes and check in and even go to lunch with them when you can afford to do so...it could be a cool little dive that is interesting or a picnic or an expensive cafe, your choice but make it interesting for them as most folks work in an office that is less than interesting. You could make a nice impression and when your done with lunch you may be the guy or gal that they call next for a big job. And remember no job is too small or too big. You can always hire a producer to get you golden.

THE SUMMER OF IMPROVISING

With the economic climate many shooters are scurrying to make ends meet. I am in a community that loves photography yet getting jobs here that can sustain you are difficult. Most of my work aside of a few very loyal clients come from out of state, NYC, Midwest and LA regions. I travel to work, usually four hours by truck one way or flying to a destination.

This summer I expanded what local photographers call the "Bake Sale" where we manage to sell artist proof prints and editions on the weekend to workshop students and other locals out of Santa Fe New Mexico. I have this posted on Facebook as the Bake Sale. This was an excellent way to create community and was very up beat for many of those who chose to be part of this event.

Feeling driven to make art, I decided to head west to shoot at Burning Man. I was on my way with a buddy who backed out and than I felt squeezed for cash flow so I fundraised my trip to make art. Many friends and strangers supported this raising about 10gs for a 25g project in one month. I am still forging forward with my work which is in the works right now!

Now it is fall and the photography work is trickling in....ad clients are beginning to call my agent in California and we're getting booked. The year as been all about re-inventing and positioning my future to make art and at a moments notice, do the editorial and ad jobs that so support making creative work such as the Burning Man project.

It's said that if you feed the fire of your mind with negative thoughts then you will do just that...and I am feeding my mind with doing and making and creating art...and my life is moving forward and the work is being manifested. I am so up about this next chapter of my life that I have no room for pondering but rather just DOING IT.

If there is a lull in this economic storm then I go out and make art images.... I shoot just about every day and it is really apart of my skin. I look at my inspirations in black and white photography and that propels me into the abyss of shooting. Sometimes I just have piles of film to process. When it gets huge, I get to it. The dark room isn't my favorite place to be...I love being outside in nature. But this winter, I will wrap my head on printing and producing a show of my work hopefully for the Annenberg Space for Photography, ICP and/or Aperture along side the book in production, be it self published or produced by a publisher...it's all good.

I am like a shark, I can't stop swimming or I will die.

Einstein said something to the nature ..."nothing happens till something moves"

STUDENT SHOW SANTA FE WORKSHOPS 2009

Summer season started with a very intimate class of photographers from all around the world.
Class starts Sunday night and I decided to break the barriers with a NUDE SELF PORTRAIT.
I love this project with a group it lets everyone open up and leave there lives back home a little bit more and be present with the week that they so gifted themselves.
The week was filled with many emotions and also lessons on pulling emotional feelings out of subjects. We explored with wonderful models using local spots for backdrops. We did a blindfolded project to heighten all our other senses. To stop doing what we always do in patterns and to get the mind thinking rather than reaction, to dig deeper into their creative beings to produce more vital images. I love teaching for the Santa Fe Workshops and this class is my favorite one to teach to date. Normally I do one on one workshops and work with individuals to expand what they have and manifest more of what seems to be an untouchable dream for some. This years class was sweet and peaceful, a bit more on the calm side than most.
I enjoyed the experience and I want to share with the world the wonderful work everyone did in our class. Thank you everyone I hope your summer is great.